JTF CV Shield commander, Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, made the call following reports that the lifting of quarantine restrictions was misinterpreted to be a clearance for them to return to their homes.

“There are still rules that have to be followed and these rules were not implemented to be an additional burden for our stranded people but to ensure that they are safe and that the communities where they want to go back to would also be safe from possible (coronavirus disease 2019) infection,” he said in a statement.

Prior to their departure, LSIs should secure a medical clearance certifying that they are neither contact, suspect, probable, or confirmed Covid-19 cases and have completed a 14-day quarantine based on standards set by the Department of Health.

Once the medical clearance is secured, the LSIs could go to the following for the issuance of travel authority:

1. Chief of Police of the City/Municipality of origin, if the destination is within the province;
2. Provincial Police Director or City Police Director of the Province/City of origin, if the destination is within the region; and
3. Police Regional Director of the region of origin, if the destination is outside the region.

Eleazar said if the city/municipality of destination and the city/municipality of origin are adjacent to each other and located at the boundaries of two different provinces or regions, the chief of police of the city/municipality of origin can issue the travel authority.

“Alternatively, the LSI may also choose to secure the travel authority from higher Headquarters, up to the national level of the JTF CV Shield. The issuing authority can delegate the role of approving a travel authority to a focal officer on his behalf,” Eleazar said.

Once the requirement is complied, the application will be turned over to the police help desk located at the office of the issuing authority, which in turn, will initiate the coordination with the LGU-destinations of the LSIs to ensure the smooth travel and arrival of the concerned LSIs.

Once the necessary coordination is done by the police commanders, the LSI applicants will be notified through text messages or electronic mail (e-mail) that their application for travel authority is already approved and ready for pick up.

Eleazar said that the travel authority can also be sent via e-mail which could be directly shown at the QCPs through the LSIs' smartphones, or the travel authority could be printed.

He also added that while LSIs are not Authorized Persons Outside Residence (APOR), they are given consideration to travel going to a certain destination with travel authority issued by JTF CV Shield thru designated PNP unit commanders.

The travel authority must include the date of travel and point of destination, as well as the basic details on the vehicles that will be used and the names of the drivers.

“LSIs need the travel authority for passage at the QCPs. On the other hand, APORs need basic IDs and certificates of employment, travel authority is not required for APORs,” Eleazar said. (With reports from Priam Nepomuceno/PNA)